国际英语新闻:Russia urges U.S. to return diplomatic properties

MOSCOW, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Sunday demanded that U.S. authorities "come to their senses" and immediately return Russian diplomatic facilities seized in the United States.

"Otherwise, the United States will bear the total blame for the ongoing degradation of relations between our countries, on which the current condition of global stability and international security largely depends," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

On Saturday, U.S. authorities shut down the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco and the Trade Representation in Washington. Russian representatives are also denied access to the rented premises of the Trade Representation in New York.

In December 2016, two retreats in New York and Maryland used by Russian diplomats were closed by the Obama administration over accusations of alleged Russian hacking during the presidential election.

"We treat these developments as a blatantly hostile act, a grave violation by Washington of international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," said the Russian statement.